Collapsible casing



Nov. 15, 1927.

w. J. BEAS LEY COLLAPSIBLE CASING Filed Nov. 1926 WALTER Jest-L N 58AS LBY INVENT Patented Nov. 15, 192 7.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WALTER JOSEPH BEKBLEY, OF KEW, VICTORIA, AUSTRALIA. v

COLLAPSIBLE CASING.

Application filed November. 5, 1926, Serial Ito. 146,403, and in Australia May 14, 1926.

An ob'ect of this invention is to provide improve casings of flexible material, as canvas, reinforced with stiffer stronger ma terial, and adapted for. the transport of boxed or other goods; and when empty adapted to be folded or rolled into comparatively small space to facilitate return at minimum cost. Each casing will stand easily em ty ready to be packed; it is of any suitable size and shape for example rectangular in horizontal section parts being strengthened to resist distortion and withstand wear. For brevity I term the casings bags, but they are adapted to carry articles which would become crushed if packed in ordinary bags or sacks.

Another object is to provide casings which have bodies and lids which have flanges so fastened together as to make it impossible in the event of interference with the contents of the casing to hide external evidence of the fact that interference has occurred.

Other objects and advantages of the invention are hereinafter indicated.

In the accompanying drawings, in which the scales differ, I illustrate the invention, but various minor details may be modified according to the purposes to which the bags are to be applied.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of an erect ed closed empty bag, parts of which are 0 broken away to show details.

Figure 2 is a sectional View of an upper part of the bag.

Figure 3 is a perspective view of part of a bag reinforcing frame.

Figure 4 is a view in vertical section at a lower corner of a bag.

Figure 5 is a diagram of a bag having its lid, which is deep in this instance, located clear of its body, except at the hinge, each part being in one of the positions available or packing or unpacking.

The bag has a lid 1, of flexible material, hinged to its body 2, of flexible material, as by sewing along the back as in part seen at 2 in Figure 1. The lid has a flange 1 to extend around the body, overlapping and enclosing the top edges 2' of the body at its sides and front for any desirable depth, the

lid top not necessarily fitting close upon the said tojjijedges. With a bag as in Figure 5 the l ijl fitop 1 when in closed position becomesif located well above edges EA -the lid and body in the case illustrated being of about equal depth, the lid hings 2 being about halfwa between the bag top and bottom. This a lows of the lid and the body being packed separately before they are as sembled to form a closed bag. They can be set in other positions than as shown for .packing and unpacking purposes.

The lid flange lower edge is reinforced and made stiffer by enclosing in the flexible material a strong wire 6 whereby the flange retains approximately vertical planes.

There are in the lid flange holes 5 through p which the rings 3 nextmentioned project. The body carries fastening rings 3 of any suitable form, spaced apart, near its top This body flange has holes 7, usually eyelets or button holes, for the projection outwardly therethrough of parts of the rings 3.

The top edge of flange 4 is reinforced and 4 made stiffer by a head 8 of strong and less flexible material, shown as a wire whereby the top of the bag will readily keep fully pen.

When a bag has beenpacked and closed an external locking wire 9 is threaded through the rings 3, and drawn tight, its ends then being fixed, a lead seal 10 being illustrated as an example of a fixing means which will enable interferences to be detected. Immediately under the lid top is placed, when predetermined, a reinforcing plate 12 of protective material, for example, stout leather; the preferred area of the plate is that of the underface of the lid.

The bottom of the body is, when predetermined, reinforced by a plate 12 of preferably the area of the interior surface of the I which extend transversely, these strips,

which are made of wood for example, being hinged together at 11". As shown in F igures 1 and 3, the stifleners reinforce the bag corners and sides.

The hin es permit of folding the stifieners when the atter are removed but when in use the upper transverse boards -11 are set in channels formed by retaining strips 11 attached to opposite parts of the body, the channels being open along their lower edges. The outer surface of the bag is made wear resisting, by patches 14 of leather carrying studs 15 of metal for example.

In some cases the bag has means to allow of inspection of its contents; 16 represents a window,[which has a flange to constitute a label retainer.

Compartmented partitioning is insertable to increase stiifemng and also to locate packed goods but, being well known as applied to wood boxes it is not illustrated.

To unpack a bag, I remove its locking wire, and lift its lid. To collapse the bag I remove its reinforcment frames and fold them, and fold or roll the bag. A considerable number of collapsed bags can be conveniently packed for transport purposes in an erected bag collapsed bags can'be carried at will as animal packs.

.1 claim 1. A bag having a body of flexible material and a lid of the same material hinged to the body and having a de ending flange to embrace the open end of t e body, a flange for the open end of the body forming a pocket to receive the lid flange, reinforcing means for the open end of the body and edge of the lid flange, and means for fastening the body lid and body flange together in closed position. 1

2. A bag, as claimed in claim 1, in which the fastening means comprises a series of spaced staples carried by the body adjacent the open end thereof, the lid flange and body flange being provided with opening to admit therethrough the staples when the lid is closed, and locking means to be threaded throu h said staples.

3. g bag, as claimed in claim 1, includingupright and transverse reinforcing members for the corners and sides of the body and hinged connections for the corners to enable the members to fold flat when not in use.

4. A bag, as claimed in claim 1, including upright and transverse reinforcing members for the sides and meeting at their ends to form corners, hinges for the said corners so as; to allow folding of the members, and means disposed in the upper portion of said body to receive and embrace the uppermost transverse reinforcing members.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

WALTER JOSEPH BEASLEY. 

